The Portland daily press., 1887-01-20
The Convention OF the American
Shipping and Industrial League.
Little Prospect Of the Passage of
the Free Ship Bill.
over s7e, 900, 900 Voted to Pay An
nuai Pensions:
An Act to Pension All Survivors of
the Mexican War.
The President and Mrs. Cleveland to
Visit Baltimore.
More Pensions Granted to Residents
of Maine.
[special'to the PREss.l

The annual convention of the American
Shipping and Industrial League closed its
sessions tonight, with public meeting at
Willard's Hall, at which addresses were de-
liyered by Senator Evarts Of New York.
Mr.. Dolph of Oregon, Mr.. Chase of Rhode
Island, and by Frederick Frazier, president of
the National Board of Trade. The Maine
delegation consisted of nine men, among
them being DIR. A. j. Fuller, president of the
Bath Board of Trade, President Sewall Of
the Maine Central Railroad; Capt. Goss and
Messrs. Patten, Mcdonald and Minot of
Bath, and Leyensaler of Thomaston. They
express themselves as much pleased with the
results of the meeting regarding the pros
poets of the free ship bill.
DR.. Fuller said tonight that he thought the
missionary work of the Maine shipbuilders
before the recess had rather frightened Mr..
Dunn, and he considered there was little
prospect of its passage.
The present week has been what might be
termed a pension week The rate at which
the annual pension appropriation is increas-
ing is startling. 1t is but twenty-one years
since the war was ended, but in that time
$792, ,707, ,050.20 have been disbursed by the
pension office.
If these twenty-one years is divided into
three equal portions. it appears that during
the first period the amount expended was
S175,54l, ,355.40, an average of about twenty
five millions year. During the second peri
cd the increase was not very marked. the to-
tai disbursement being $2O7,01S, ,s53.9l, a
yearly average Of about twenty-nine and
half million dollars. But in the third peri
cd the total jumps up to $40, ,146, s45.95, the
average being almost $6O,O00,O0O, or nearly
double that of the preceding period.
The disbursement slowly increased from
1865 to 1871, when the appropriation was
S33o77 1888; then it gradually diminished, un-
til, in 1876, it was only $25, ,S44, ,415. Then, in
1877, the arrears of pensions act was passed,
and the appropriation at once rose in the
following year to S33, ,7SO,O27, and it has
steadily increased since. The bill passed by
the Senate on Monday, appropriates little
more than $76,000,GOO. At this rate of in
crease it will be but a few years before the
total annual appropriation will reach $780,
100000 or even $150,0O0,OOO. The Senate fol-
lowed up its passage of the appropriation
bill by passing ON the same day forty bills,
placing on the pension rolls the names of
private persons who, for some reason, could
not obtain a pension through the regular
channels, and the House kept up its end by
passing bills giving pension to all survivors
of the Mexican war, and giving pensions to
dependent parents and honorably discharged
soldiers who are disabled and dependent up
on their own labor for support. During the
first session of this Congress 722 private bills
were passed, of which it is !estimated that at
least four-tifths were pension bills, and the
number which will be passed at this session
will be proportionally large. A bill was also
passed last session increasing largely the
pensions Of those who lost leg or an arm,
which probably adds $60,OO0,000 or more to
the cost of pensions.
If the amount continues to increase, the
problem of what to do with the surplus will
solve itself before many years.
Postal hHatters.
The following postmasters have been conf
missioned in Maine Julia Z. Edwards,
Freedom; Lewis E. Bowley. Greenvale; Hi
ram NJ. Turner, Whitefeld.
Cen. Hazen's Funeral.
The funeral of Gen. Hazen, late Chief Sig
nal Officer, took lplace this afternoon from
st. Johns Protestant Episcopal church. The
services were conducted by Rev. DR.. Leon
ard. rector Of the church. A throng of dis
tinguished people attended, including Secre-
tary Endicott, Gen. Sheridan and many
prominent officers of the army and navy.
Mexican Pensions.
Among those who will be benefited by the
Mexican pension act are Messrs. Morrison,
Forney, Viele and Negley, members of the
House, and Mr.. John Rome, the doOrkeeper
at the main entrance of the House, who was
a drummer boy and lost his arm. Senator
Maxey is now the only Senator who was an
officer during the war The late Senator Lo-
gan was Mr.. Maxey's comrade in arms in the
Mexican campaign. MI. Forney Of Alaba,
be on the 14th of next September, Gen. Viele
of New York city on the 18th of June next
Gen. Negley of Pittsburg on Dec. %, 1888,
and Senator Maxey on March 30th next. Mr..
as drummer.
Territorial Land Laws and Develop
n1ent.
Gov. Swineford of Alaska says the object
of his journey to Washington is to make an
effort to have the territorial laws of the
United States extend to Alaska. At present
no title to realty can be had, and consequent
ly the settlement of the country and its de-
velopment in any respect is almost totally
precluded. 1.-The opposition to the exten-
sion of the land laws comes from the Alas
ka Commercial Company" said the COVER
nor. "The officers of the company disclam
it, but have noticed that whenever any
proposition is brought before Congress look
ing to development of the country. some
agent of that company is always present to
oppose il"
Free Entry of Frozen Fish.
The Secretary of the Treasury has modi-
fed the existing regulations so as to allow
the free entry of naturally frozen fish, i'm
ported in the condition in which they are
caught, without being salted or otherwise
preserved. a2
The President and wife to Visit Bal
timore.
President and Mrs. Cleveland will visit
Baltimore next Monday evening, for the pur-
They will return to Washington the same
evening.
Pensions Granted.
Pensions for residents of New England
have been granted as follows
Benjamin B. Mckinney, original, South Water
boro.
Henry Frost, original, Belgrade Mills.
George Z. DYER, reissue, New Sharon.
Ephraim I. Robertson, increase. Weld.
Warren l. Whitney increase, Bangor.
George j.. Sawyer, increase, White Rock.
Thomas Brogan reissue, Togus.
Herman Hunnerville Jr, reissue, Madison
Centre.
Frederick A. Griffin, increase, Belfast.